Scotland National Team

Scotland 4 – 2 Denmark McTominay (3′) Shankland (78′) Tierney (90+3′) McLean (90+8′)   Højlund (57′ pen) Dorgu (81′) Scotland secured their first World Cup appearance since 1998, after a dramatic six-goal thriller at a raucous Hampden Park. The home side took the lead in the opening minutes thanks to a moment of individual brilliance. Ben Gannon-Doak’s left-footed cross was met by Scott McTominay, who delivered a towering overhead kick past the helpless Kasper Schmeichel. Simply, it was the dream start for Steve Clarke’s men, who were showing an intensity that was missing in Greece three nights before. Despite the remarkable start, the visitors grew into the half. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg blazed over, and Rasmus Højlund’s teasing delivery had no takers in the opening 15 minutes. Scotland were dealt a blow in the 20th minute with Gannon-Doak stretchered off, bringing a hush over Hampden. Højlund netted moments later, but play was brought back as the Napoli striker handled Aaron Hickey in the build-up. A Danish corner was almost flicked into his own net by Andy Robertson in the 27th minute as caution continued for the hosts. Patrick Dorgu then delivered a teasing cross for Højlund, who headed over from cross range. Scotland invited continuous pressure from the Danes and looked content with defending the slender lead. Højbjerg’s 20-yard strike whistled past Craig Gordon’s post as the halftime whistle approached. Denmark dominated possession in the opening minutes of the second period. Højlund found a half yard in the Scotland box, firing a low shot which Gordon smartly tipped round the post. Szymon Marciniak pointed to the penalty spot in the 57th minute after Robertson tripped Gustav Isaksen on the corner of the box. Højlund dispatched high past Gordon to wrestle control back for the visitors. The penalty was subject to a lengthy VAR check, but warranted the visitors’ dominant spell. A huge turning point occurred after the hour mark. John McGinn spun Rasmus Kristensen, who looked to have hauled the Scottish midfielder to the floor. Marciniak gave Kristensen his second yellow, but upon replay, the decision was very harsh on the Frankfurt defender. The visitors looked composed despite being down to ten men. Clarke turned to Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland for the winning goal, but Denmark continued to look dangerous. Isaksen’s shot from the right-hand side of the Scottish box whistled past Gordon’s goal as they searched for the killer blow. Scotland scored a second goal in the 78th minute through the substitute Shankland. A teasing Lewis Ferguson corner dropped for the Hearts captain, who turned home from close range, sparking delight in the home sections. Denmark responded with a haymaker on their next attack. The home side were unable to clear their lines from a crossed ball, the ball dropped to Dorgu, who showed composure to slide past the rooted Gordon. The homeside threw men forward in search of the winning goal. Robertson’s cross bypassed the entire Danish defence, allowing McGinn to curl a left-footed shot inches wide of Schmeichel’s top corner. Kieran Tierney sent Scotland to the World Cup in the 93rd minute. The ball broke to the Celtic defender on the edge of the box, who curled a left-footed strike into the corner from 25 yards. McLean sealed the game deep into injury time. Denmark’s final attack broke down, and the Norwich midfielder lobbed the stranded Schmeichel from the halfway line. The full-time scenes were chaotic and emotional. A game that looked set to end in heartbreak had turned into a famous night that will be remembered for years to come. Scotland have automatically qualified for the World Cup 2026. Scotland: Gordon 7 Hickey 6 Hanley 8 McKenna 8 Robertson 7 McGinn 7 Ferguson 6 McTominay 7 Christie 7 Gannon-Doak 7 Dykes 6 Substitutes: McLean 10 Shankland 6 Adams 6 Tierney 10 Denmark: Schmeichel 7 Kristensen 7 Andersen 7 Christensen 7 Dorgu 6 Isaksen 6 Hjulmand 6 Froholdt 6 Hojbjerg 6 Damsgaard 6 Hojlund 7 Substitutes: Vestergaard 6 Nørgaard 5 Biereth 5

Scotland face Denmark at Hampden tomorrow evening, knowing victory will take them to the 2026 World Cup, and Steve Clarke admits that the showdown game was “always the scenario we had in our heads”. Speaking with the media on Monday afternoon, Clarke spoke of the “trust” he has in his players and squad, “Way back at the start, I said we didn’t have enough experience, we didn’t have enough caps in the squad. Now we’ve got enough caps and experience, and hopefully that, allied to the talent in the group, that experience can be vital” “The lads seem to be in pretty good spirits. Everyone is in a good place”. The Scots have not qualified for a World Cup since 1998. They reached the playoff round for Qatar 2022, but were dismantled by an inspired Ukrainian side at Hampden. “The players understand the magnitude of the game, but they just have to prepare for a game of football and make sure they are focused on how we want to play and on what Denmark might do”. “If they go out and play as they can, then I believe they are good enough to get the result we need”. The Danish challenge on Tuesday evening may be the most vital of Clarke’s tenure; he described the pivotal match as a “cup final”. “In football, sometimes things don’t go your way. The most important thing in a qualifying campaign is points.” “We were drawn as a pot three team, but we are already in second place. We want to go one step further and finish top of the group.” Team-wise, Clarke confirmed that Billy Gilmour would not feature; a groin problem has ruled the Napoli midfielder out of proceedings. He remains the only player to miss out, with Clarke advising that “Everyone else is fit and ready to go”. Despite accumulating ten points in their opening five group matches, Hampden jeered parts of Scotland’s victories over Greece and Belarus last month. Clarke urged that the Tartan Army should stick with his side on Tuesday evening, “We probably need them more in the difficult moments. If we all work together, we can make it a great night for the country.” Clarke has led Scotland to back-to-back European Championships and hopes that his team can deliver once again. “The players have shown they know how to qualify for tournaments, so let’s qualify for another one” Scotland v Denmark Hampden Tuesday 18 November 7:45pm

Greece 3 – 2 Scotland Bakasetas (7′) Karetsas (57′) Tzolis (63′)  Gannon-Doak (65′) Christie (70′) Scotland endured their first Group C defeat after a thrilling 5 goal defeat against Greece in Piraeus. Greece took an early lead through Tasos Bakasetas. A long ball was misjudged by John Souttar, allowing Vangelis Pavlidis to test Craig Gordon with a low shot. The rebound dropped for Bakasetas, who drilled a left-footed strike into the bottom corner. The home side had enjoyed the opening exchanges, but it was a soft goal, and a nightmare start for Steve Clarke’s men. The second almost arrived in the 18th minute. Christos Tzolis terrorised Rangers for Club Brugge in the Champions League playoff round. He tested Gordon twice in a matter of seconds, firstly with a snapshot in the box, and then a sliced strike that whistled past the post. The visitors had no answers; the midfield combination of Lewis Ferguson and Ryan Christie was continuously smothered by the inspired Greeks, who looked full of confidence. Gordon swatted away Panagiotis Retsos’ towering header after 26 minutes. Before an Andy Robertson error allowed Tzolis to register another shot on target, as the hosts looked to turn the screw. They delivered another flowing move on the half-hour mark. Tzolis found space on the left before firing a low pass across the six-yard box. Pavlidis connected on the stretch, but his strike shaved the side netting and went behind Gordon’s goal. Greece were cutting the Scots open at will, and could have scored four in the opening thirty minutes on another night. Scotland sparked into life on the halftime mark. Che Adams dummied Robertson’s inside pass, leaving space for Scott McTominay to cannon a 25-yard strike off the crossbar. Ben Doak raced onto a clever McTominay pass in additional time, but Odysseas Vlachodimos smothered his low strike to bring the half to a close. Scotland carried their positive finish into the second half, showing more composure on the ball and picking up good attacking areas. They should have equalised in the 52nd minute. Ryan Christie latched onto a loose Greek pass and squared to the unmarked Adams, but the striker’s shot was blocked on the line. Greece delivered a killer blow four minutes later. Andrews Tetteh beat Grant Hanley for pace down Scotland’s right, and he found Konstantinos Karetsas, who struck home from the edge of the box. The wonderkid terrorised the Scots during the Nations League playoff in March, and his suckerpunch may have confirmed another playoff. A powerful shot from range by Tzolis made it 3-0 after the hour mark as the Greeks started to enjoy themselves. Doak pulled a goal back in the 65th minute. He finished John McGinn’s powerful low cross after a strong run from the Aston Villa captain. The goal offered hope for the Tartan Army, and when Christie headed Robertson’s pinpoint cross in the 70th minute, the automatic World Cup qualification dream was well and truly back on. Scotland looked set to equalise in the 80th minute. Doak’s backpost cross was volleyed towards goal by McTominay, but the outstretched leg of Vlachodimos kept the Greek lead intact. A crucial touch by Vlachodimos diverted a McGinn cross as the game entered injury time. Clarke had four strikers on the pitch, but they were unable to find the equalising goal. Scotland carried their positive finish into the second half, showing more composure on the ball and picking up good attacking areas. They should have equalised in the 52nd minute. Ryan Christie latched onto a loose Greek pass and squared to the unmarked Adams, but the striker’s shot was blocked on the line. Greece delivered a killer blow four minutes later. Andrews Tetteh beat Grant Hanley for pace down Scotland’s right, and he found Konstantinos Karetsas, who struck home from the edge of the box. The wonderkid terrorised the Scots during the Nations League playoff in March, and his suckerpunch may have confirmed another playoff. A powerful shot from range by Tzolis made it 3-0 after the hour mark as the Greeks started to enjoy themselves. Doak pulled a goal back in the 65th minute. He finished John McGinn’s powerful low cross after a strong run from the Aston Villa captain. The goal offered hope for the Tartan Army, and when Christie headed Robertson’s pinpoint cross in the 70th minute, the automatic World Cup qualification dream was well and truly back on. Scotland looked set to equalise in the 80th minute. Doak’s backpost cross was volleyed towards goal by McTominay, but the outstretched leg of Vlachodimos kept the Greek lead intact. A crucial touch by Vlachodimos diverted a McGinn cross as the game entered injury time. Clarke had four strikers on the pitch, but they were unable to find the equalising goal. But a point for Belarus means that Scotland can still automatically qualify for the World Cup. Greece: Vlachodimos 8 Vagiannidis 7 Retsos 7 Koulierakis 6 Tsimikas 6 Kourbelis 6 Mouzakitis 7 Karetsas 8 Bakasetas 6 Tzolis 8 Pavlidis 6 Substitutes: Tetteh 6 Masouras 6 Kostoulas 6 Hatzidiakos 6 Scotland: Gordon 6 Hickey 6 Hanley 6 Souttar 6 Robertson 6 Ferguson 7 Christie 7 McGinn 7 McTominay 7 Gannon-Doak 7 Adams 6 Substitutes: McKenna 6 Ralston 6 Shankland 6 Hirst 6 Dykes 6

Steve Clarke has urged his Scottish side to bounce back from a “disappointing” performance against Belarus, ahead of the climax of their World Cup Qualifying campaign. The Scots sit second in Group C, and are unbeaten in their opening four matches, including back-to-back Hampden victories over Greece and Belarus. Speaking to BBC Scotland, Clarke spoke of his halftime “anger” during the abject Belarus performance: “The anger from me in the dressing room was to try to provoke a reaction from the players, to let the players know that with my experience, I could feel that there was a possibility to drop points in a game that we shouldn’t drop points.” “I can’t say it was uncontrolled anger, because it was, it was something that very occasionally, as a manager now you can use, it’s not something you can use all the time, but that just felt like an appropriate moment to show a little bit of anger and get a reaction.” “And I think the start of the second half was better. There was a good reaction to that, but the game sort of settled back into its old ways. And like I said, performance disappointing result is exactly what we wanted – three points.” First up is Greece, a familiar foe, whom Scotland have already faced three times this year. Ivan Jovanovic’s side is a stern test, and relegated Scotland to the Nations League B following a dominant 3-0 victory at Hampden in March. They sit third in Group C, and can no longer qualify through the group after unbeaten starts for Scotland and Denmark. Clarke appreciates that his side’s performances have pushed them into a positive position in the group: “If anybody had said going into the last month, the final two games, that one of our biggest rivals would already be out of the equation for the play-offs or the automatic qualification, I think everybody would have taken that.” “We need to be disappointed in the performance against Belarus, but we also need to keep a sense of perspective that we’re in a really good position and can we capitalise on that in the two games coming”. If Scotland avoid defeat in Piraeus, they can set up a World Cup showdown match against Denmark at Hampden Park on Tuesday evening. A massive week awaits Steve Clarke’s Tartan Army.

Hampden Park will host six matches, including one quarter-final, as part of the hotly anticipated Euro 2028 tournament. The six games will take place between June 10th and July 1st 2028, with the quarter-final set for July 1st. If Scotland is to qualify, the National Team will play all their group stage games at home. The chief executive of the Scottish FA, Ian Maxwell, expressed his delight with the plans: “The history of our world-renowned National Stadium is peppered with iconic moments, and this represents a fantastic opportunity to add a few more unforgettable memories.” “I know our supporters – revered across the globe for their dedication and passion – will enjoy having some of the game’s best players on their doorstep”. Euro 2028 UK & Ireland kicks off on June 9 2028, with Wales hosting the opening match at Cardiff’s National Stadium. A further seven cities will host games, including Dublin, Newcastle, and Manchester, with Wembley Stadium hosting the final on July 9. Belfast will host the official qualifying draw on December 6 2026.   Hampden Park Schedule: UEFA Euro 2028 Saturday, June 10: Group A Groupstage Match Tuesday, June 13: Group F Groupstage Match Saturday, June 17: Group F Groupstage Match Wednesday, June 21: Group F Groupstage Match Monday, June 26: Round of 16 Saturday, July 1: Quarter Final

Scotland is on the brink of a maiden World Cup appearance in 27 years, and of all the decisions Steve Clarke faces ahead of a crucial double header this week, the choice of goalkeeper may be the most important one. While Angus Gunn has impressed in the opening four games, securing two clean sheets and producing key saves against Greece and Belarus at Hampden, a knee problem has ruled the Nottingham Forest goalkeeper out of the crucial double-header. Manager Steve Clarke must now look elsewhere, having included veteran Craig Gordon, Rangers’ Liam Kelly, and Falkirk’s Scott Bain in the squad. With a pivotal test against Greece looming on Saturday evening, the decision in goal could define the camp. With 81 caps, Craig Gordon would be the sensible choice, bringing experience to the national side. However, the Heart of Midlothian goalkeeper has not featured domestically since suffering a neck injury in May, and has been edged out of Derek McInnes’ side following the summer arrival of Alexander Schwolow. The two other options offer contrasting levels of match sharpness. Scott Bain has returned to the Scottish setup for the first time since 2018, having earned a clean sheet in a 2-0 away victory over San Marino during his last stint. Crucially, the 33-year-old has been a regular for Falkirk since his summer move from Celtic, starting all twelve games in the Scottish Premiership. Whilst he may lack national experience, his consistent gametime and current form could persuade Clarke to look his way. Meanwhile, Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly has been regularly included in the national side since 2021 but has only one friendly cap to his name. Though he was a mainstay during his 154 appearances for Motherwell, he is currently second-choice at Ibrox to Jack Butland, managing only one start this season against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup. Despite this, Kelly has shown he can step up to the highest level, having previously started for Rangers in an impressive 3-0 Old Firm derby victory in January. The three goalkeepers bring different attributes: Gordon offers pedigree but no form, Bain offers consistent game time at a lower level, and Kelly offers top-level potential but sporadic appearances. The choice could shape Scotland’s World Cup hopes, and is a decision that Clarke must get right. Scotland travel to the Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis on Saturday evening to face Greece, before welcoming Denmark to Hampden the following Tuesday as part of a potential World Cup showdown.

Denmark’s 3-1 victory over Greece ensures Scotland will finish at least second in Group C, securing a playoff to next year’s World Cup. Victory for the Danes promoted them to the summit of Group C on ten points, with a favourable goal difference. Steve Clarke’s side also sits on ten points in second place, seven ahead of Greece with two qualifiers to play. The insurmountable advantage offers some optimism for the Tartan Army, following a fairly abject showing against Belarus on Sunday evening. Steve Clarke admitted he was “really disappointed” in his side’s performance, acknowledging that they can operate on a much higher level than they showed. While the playoff has been secured, full attention will now turn to the final international break of the year. Scotland face a Greek side hungry for revenge following their 3-1 to Clarke’s side last week. The final group match could see a ‘winner takes all’ showdown between Scotland and Denmark at Hampden Park.